Teach Soap

I just tried my first batch of CP last week. I think it came out good (its still sitting) but the smell isn't very strong. Is there certain essential oils that work better in CP than others. (I used tangerine). Or is there a certain amount of EO that should be added to make it stronger? I don't want to try fragrance oils because i would like to keep it as natural as possible. Does any one have any suggestions?

Thanks

Most citrus oils tend to fade in soap. You need something to anchor it; like Patchouli, Vetiver or Litsea.
Some EO's are stronger than others. Experiment and see how strong you like your soaps to be.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Yes soapbuddy is right and I had the same problem when I was using citrus scents but once you combine them with something else as suggested it will be stronger. Most people like to use anywhere between .5 to 1 oz per pound of oils in your recipe depending on what EO you are using. Try making smaller batches and experiment. Keep a notebook handy and write down what works and what doesn't. I made the mistake of not taking notes for a long time and then had to figure out from scratch what I had done last time.

If you go on Anne-Marie's blog: http://www.soap-queen.blogspot.com she has post by someone (can't think of her name but she lives in California and her company is called Nova Studio I think and she teaches classes) who lists her favourite essential oils to have on hand and what ratio to try each of them at. Let me take a look and see if I can find it and I'll post the link.

Cool I was right I thought her name was Lori but wasn't sure. It's Lori Nova and here is the post of her top 10 EO's:

http://soap-queen.blogspot.com/search?q=nova+studio

Interesting! Anise would not have made it into my top 20! Maybe I need to try it with some lavender!

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Petra